Sitting on the north coast of this lush, tropical island, San Juan is the second settlement founded by European settlers in the Caribbean, and the oldest city under US jurisdiction. The stocky walls and watchtowers here have stood the test of time, repelling notable invaders – such as Sir Francis Drake – and the pirates who historically looted these islands. With massive fortresses, airy plazas and sheer Caribbean beauty, San Juan is a beach-blessed star of these turquoise waters.
With more than 500 years of European history, Old San Juan gleams In Puerto Rico’s sunshine, with sugar-almond painted facades and ankle-testing cobbled lanes. Decorative balconies and varnished wooden doors add everyday artistry to streets, dripping with history. Soak up the culture at rum-fuelled parties and salsa dances on this Spanish-culture infused island, or recline into afternoon relaxation sessions on sensational slivers of gleaming sand.
Ler mais Kick back on the beach, or satisfy a lust for adventure by exploring sprawling mangrove forests. The magic of sea kayaking after dark here is an experience you won't forget. Break the waves with your oar, and watch as the waters illuminate with neon colour, as bioluminescence creates a mystical, peaceful spectacle.
Pocked limestone cliffs and karst landscapes add rugged contrast to the serenity of the beaches, and you can walk into folds of the earth in sea-carved caves, or across cliffs to hidden views of the Caribbean’s expanse. Enjoy a taste of the island’s cuisine by sampling Mofongo – a local concoction of green plantains and chicken. Why not indulge and wash it down with an iced mojito, made from crushed mint and locally distilled rum?

Glowing turquoise waters, lazily bowing palm trees, and pristine white sand beaches – it's all waiting for you in Jost Van Dyke's picturesque Caribbean splendour. Slip off your shoes, you won't be needing them too much in these parts, as you wander soft, heavenly sands, and paddle out into impossibly clear waters. The island escape of choice for dallying yachts, which visit to soak up the off-the-beaten-path good life. Join them around the pristine beaches of this tiny celebrity magnet of an island.
If this is your first experience of the Caribbean's splendour, you may be a little sceptical about the reality of those famed, shockingly bright colours that you see in photographs. If so, Jost Van Dyke will be love at first sight. Splash into water that glows with a bright teal hue and is blotched with occasional swells of deeper royal blue. Snorkellers will adore the explosions of colourful fish beneath the waves.
Ler mais White Bay is a slice of island perfection, with a neat hill of trees framing a sandy sweep of shaded beach bars. There's nothing for it but to indulge on a bed of soft pearly-white sand, and soak in the staggering beauty of it all. The wander up to Majohnny Hill is the most exertion needed to explore this four-square-mile island, and it's worth it to see the heavenly beaches emerging from tranquil waters below. Even the natural sea formations here encourage you to unwind, with waves gurgling and frothing over the rocks to create Bubbly Pool, a natural jacuzzi.
Jost Van Dyke has a reputation as the off-the-radar island getaway of choice for celebrities like Keith Richards. A lot of that comes down to the calypso charm of its rustic beach bars - especially the legendary Foxy's Bar, which is run by island legend Foxy Callwood. Rum-drenched cocktails and icy buckets of beach beers await - sure to get you into the island’s party spirit in no time.

Cherry red roofs, yacht-sprinkled bays and a sophisticated French flavour all add to the gorgeous Caribbean allure of Gustavia. The island's capital rolls around a horseshoe-shaped harbour, where gleaming yachts hover and fancy boutiques, bars and restaurants fizz with life and clinking cutlery. Head up to red and white Gustavia Lighthouse to look down over the revered waters, which attract many a celebrity guest and diving enthusiast to these shores.
Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover this volcanic island in 1493, giving it the name St Barthelemy in honour of his younger brother. The island has a unique history as a Swedish colony, following a deal with the French King Louis XVI to exchange the island with Sweden for better trading rights. It was returned to French control in 1878 and is now a French Overseas Collectivity.
Learn more of the Swedish legacy at Fort Karl - which sits on a 29-metre-high hill above Shell Beach.
Ler mais The fort now lies in ruins, but you'll meet wandering iguanas, and the views down of sweeping sea and emerald coastline are some of the island's finest. Down below, a delightful spread of tiny pebbles and shell fragments are scattered like confetti and lapped by crystal-clear water. A little exploration uncovers countless other glorious beaches and natural wonders. Colombier Beach is a little out of the way but cradles silky-smooth sands and typically turquoise waters. If you have chance, find somewhere to settle and sip fruity rum cocktails as the sunset flares across the waves.

Explore a land of vibrant colour, from the tranquil turquoise water that surrounds it, to the verdant green peaks of its famous soaring volcanic plugs - The Pitons; which give this mesmerising island its form. Waterfalls thunder in the jungled interior, should you successfully drag yourself from St Lucia's gleaming beaches and dive spots - where patchworks of colourful fish dance below the waves. Offering the picturesque island luxury of your wildest dreams, St. Lucia is a cinematic, thrilling Caribbean idyl.
Marigot Bay served as the tropical backdrop for 1967’s Doctor Dolittle film, and the island's amiable animal life is never too far away - spot flashes of bright red, as parrots zip between palm trees, before catching sight of dolphins splashing playfully offshore. Vigie beach is a charmed spot to lie back and recline in the sun’s glow, watching as overlapping layers of mesmerising blue hues intertwine. St.
Ler mais Lucia’s iconic Pitons mountains deliver as the perfect backdrop to any envy generating photograph - rising up exponentially from the calm waters like sharp shark fins.
Castries is this heavenly island’s capital, and while the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception may seem a little humble from the outside, the soft sounds of soulful hymns emanating from within are sure to draw you in. The astonishing interior glows with bright frescoes, lit up by the sunlight that spills inside, and atmospheric rows of flickering candles. There's more rich Caribbean colour to behold at the ramshackle Castries Market, where you can take handfuls of fragrant spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, and enjoy the singsong ritual of bartering, as you move between tables heaving under bounties of green bananas and rosy mangos.

With beautiful seascapes, lush vegetation and intense natural ingredients, the Isle of Spice has the perfect recipe for a flavourful visit. A true sensory experience, St George's is famous as the world’s second-largest exporter of the spice, nutmeg. Just as much of a treat for the eyes as it is for the palate, its jungled mounds, idyllic white-sand beaches, and turquoise Caribbean seas are a glorious sight to behold. Thrilling waterfalls pour through the rainforest, while banana and cocoa groves spread wildly across the island. Grenada’s capital rolls down to an attractive waterfront decorated with pretty floral buildings, Georgian architecture and picturesque terracotta roofs.
Breathe in deep at the spice market, where the freshest ingredients fill stalls. Heaps of fresh nutmeg, vanilla pods, cinnamon and cocoa beans all add to the colourful mosaic.
Ler mais Dip into the waters of Bamboo Waterfall, or venture to Grand Etang, to explore the rich and fertile interior of this scenic island, where mischievous mona monkeys explore treetops and a collapsed volcano holds the waters of a glorious caldera lake.
If all of that exploring sounds like hard work – don’t worry, the island is skirted by some of the Caribbean’s dreamiest visions of seaside luxury - from famous natural beauties like Grand Anse Beach to secret stretches hidden amongst the palm trees. Soak in the vivid colours, best enjoyed with an iced cocktail and a taste of the locally distilled, spiced rum punch.

Capital of Martinique - an island of colour, culture and creoles - Fort-de-France is West Indian paradise served up with a distinctive French flair. Waterfalls gush, paddleboards push through calm waves, and rum cocktails are generously splashed in this laid-back land of beachside bliss. Having recovered from a period of neglect, Fort-de-France's colonial architecture now beams with fresh licks of bright paint and strung bunting.
Away from the Fort-de-France, vivid swathes of jungle unravel, fringed by cotton-white sands, and lush blue seawaters. A thousand shades of green await in the Jardin de Balata botanical gardens, where hummingbirds zip between flowers and giant tree roots sprawl out into the earth. A strung walkway provides a raised perspective over the glowing gardens. Cool off in the inviting splash pools below the plunging Fontaine Didier waterfall - utter bliss after a long hike.
Ler mais Or, head straight for the many stunning beaches around the island. Shores plucked from your dreamiest imagination await, with vivid green palms swaying, and warm waves folding gently onto pristine white sands.
The waters around Martinique swirl with an extraordinary underworld of beautiful coral and vividly-hued fish life, making for one of the Caribbean's most rewarding dive destinations. The island sits under the verdant swell of Mount Pelée - an active volcano - and hiking paths wind up to sweeping views of the island from its apex. Divers can explore the shipwrecks that are strewn close to Saint-Pierre – these ghostly vessels were caught in the crossfire of the volcano's devastating eruption of 1902."

Glorious golden beaches, fiery sunsets and verdant tropical backdrops await at Nevis - a picturesque sliver of Caribbean heaven, and the smaller twin of Saint Kitts. The sight of the island’s golden sands, lying before the verdant backdrop of Nevis Peak’s clouded taper, is sure to mesmerise you - just as it moved Christopher Columbus, the first European to encounter these majestic islands in 1493.
Charlestown serves as the laidback capital of Nevis and is peppered with a charming assortment of baby blue colonial architecture. The perfume of incense hangs heavy in the air at the Botanical Gardens of Nevis - where orchids open up in the bright sunshine, and fountains trickle among the green haven of tropical plants. The simple pleasure of a vivid sunset is one of a myriad of reasons why Nevis is such a sought-after destination, and the nightly explosions of salmon-pinks and blood-reds that spill across the sky never fade in impact.
Ler mais Head to the magnificent Pinney's Beach - which stretches for more than three miles - to stroll through turquoise water and caramel-coloured sand.
Lovers Beach offers an alternative flavour in a quieter, breathlessly romantic setting – laying out views across the Atlantic rollers to St Kitts before you. Shipwrecks wait, strewn just offshore, and enthusiastically embraced by abundant marine life. Scuba dive to explore the skeletal wrecks first hand, as clownfish zip between the broken boughs of doomed vessels. Booby High Shoals is a popular diving spot where you can meet curious sea turtles, gliding through the water.

Sitting on the north coast of this lush, tropical island, San Juan is the second settlement founded by European settlers in the Caribbean, and the oldest city under US jurisdiction. The stocky walls and watchtowers here have stood the test of time, repelling notable invaders – such as Sir Francis Drake – and the pirates who historically looted these islands. With massive fortresses, airy plazas and sheer Caribbean beauty, San Juan is a beach-blessed star of these turquoise waters.
With more than 500 years of European history, Old San Juan gleams In Puerto Rico’s sunshine, with sugar-almond painted facades and ankle-testing cobbled lanes. Decorative balconies and varnished wooden doors add everyday artistry to streets, dripping with history. Soak up the culture at rum-fuelled parties and salsa dances on this Spanish-culture infused island, or recline into afternoon relaxation sessions on sensational slivers of gleaming sand.
Ler mais Kick back on the beach, or satisfy a lust for adventure by exploring sprawling mangrove forests. The magic of sea kayaking after dark here is an experience you won't forget. Break the waves with your oar, and watch as the waters illuminate with neon colour, as bioluminescence creates a mystical, peaceful spectacle.
Pocked limestone cliffs and karst landscapes add rugged contrast to the serenity of the beaches, and you can walk into folds of the earth in sea-carved caves, or across cliffs to hidden views of the Caribbean’s expanse. Enjoy a taste of the island’s cuisine by sampling Mofongo – a local concoction of green plantains and chicken. Why not indulge and wash it down with an iced mojito, made from crushed mint and locally distilled rum?